QR-enabled tickets, machine to make ladoos: New facilities for devotees in Yadadri

Hyderabad: The Yadagirigutta temple is reopening after five years and the Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA) has taken several steps to ensure a seamless darshan for devotees.

The newly-constructed 'Grand Temple' is all set to reopen to the public on 28 March. Apart from the seven gopurams, Dravidian architecture, there are several other facilities to look forward to in and around Yadadri.

YTDA vice-chairman G. Kishan Rao told NewsMeter, "Long lines for collecting prasadam and high demand for it has always been an issue of concern. Even though the new temple is not open at the moment, we run out of prasadam by the end of the day and there are long lines. From April, we will have mechanised machinery to make ladoos."

Mr. Kishan Rao explained that the ladoos are hand molded in Yadadrigutta but now a machine will role all the ladoos with the raw material made by the temple authorities. "Using the machinery, we will be able to produce 50,000 ladoos at a time," he said. He assured that this will not change the quality or quantity of the laddoo.

YTDA will also provide free shuttle services from the bus station to the hilltop. Additionally, all pilgrims visiting the temple can have food at the Nithya Annadhanam throughout the day.

"As many as 20 ticket counters will be set up on top of the hill. Our aim is to reduce long lines and issue tickets within two minutes. All tickets will be enabled with QR codes similar to Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam in Andhra Pradesh," Mr. Kishan Rao said. The tickets will be issued every hour. The Electronic Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL) will handle the operating of QR-coded tickets.

"Once devotees enter the queue complex, we will ensure that their darshan is completed within an hour," he said.

Additionally, a Koneru (artificial pond) has been constructed atop the hill so that pilgrims can dip in it as per traditions and similar to other south Indian temples. "At a time, 300 men and 300 women can go to the Koneru," he said. "To facilitate faster and easier donations of the hair, a complex has been built that can accommodate up to 400 hair donors at a time," Mr. Kishan Rao added.

"A newly constructed one is 'Lakashmi Pushkarini' dedicated for devotees and old Koneru 'Vishnu Pushkarini' is now modified and used only for Narasimha Swamy rituals such as Abhishekam and Brahmotsavam," he added.

Balalayam later will be converted as Rangamandapam and it will be used for cultural events on special days.

Other features such as space for Rath Yatra, Brahmotsavams, Satyanarayana Vratam, Pushkarinis, and much more have been added to the new temple.

Safety and comfort

In a bid to ensure that both the Yadigirigutta and surrounding areas of the temple are safe, CCTV cameras have been installed across the temple. "Cameras have been installed on the bridge over Rayagiri Lake as well," he added.

"Earlier, there were no lifts or escalators in the vicinity of the temple. Now, the temple has two lifts and escalators which the public can use. This has been specially built keeping senior citizens and physically challenged persons in mind," Mr. Kishan Rao said.

After the original temple in the cave was closed to the public, an alternate temple, Balalyam, was opened on the hill for devotees. "The footfall there was never less and the revenue from it was very good as well. Now, after the temple reopens, a Rangamandapam (which will be used for various rituals) will be constructed there," he said.

Accommodation for pilgrims

At present, as many as 300 families can find accommodation for themselves in Yadadri, Mr. Kishan Rao said. "The real estate around the temple is also booming. Several presidential suites and guest houses have also been built on the adjacent hills of the temple," he added.

He also said that within a few kilometers of the temple, a 'temple city' will come up very soon. "This temple city will have everything from five-star hotels to hospitals to flats. This will be situated in Yadadri within close proximity of the temple," he said